Lost and Found
by Nightmare-stalker
Summary: Wonderland is finally safe. Or is it? A new menace rises to take the place of Chaos. KazeLisa fic. Many cookies for Reviewers!
1. I'm Alive?

_Nightmare-stalker here, and I have brought you a new story. This one is of Final Fantasy: Unlimited. Yeah, I know the anime was dumb, but it did have its good points. And I just have to add to the Kaze/Lisa fandom. The subtle romance in the anime was just to cute! __This is a slight revision of the first chapter. I just saw the last episode again and realized I messed up. So I fixed the problems and reposted the darn thing. And I don't own Final Fantasy: Unlimited. If I did, I would eliminate Oscha. Anyway, I'm not making any money off of this, now on with the story. _

Lisa had definitely had better days. It all started with the invasion on the Earl's lair. The Earl's henchmen had captured the twins, Ai and Yu, and in the effort to rescue them Lisa herself had been imprisoned. Controlled by Herba, one of the Earl's minions, the twin's parents nearly killed them. Only Lisa's pleading broke the spell.

Two others shared Lisa's prison; a mystery man known only as Kuroki Kaze and a former enemy named Shiroi Kumo otherwise called Makenshi. Both men were sworn enemies of Chaos, each of their worlds already devoured by the ravenous creature. For his defiance, the Earl contrived for Makenshi to be run through by his own sword. As for Kaze, he had been divested of his red handgun and the belt that held the ammunition for his symbiotic weapon; the Magun and Lisa had little strength to be able to break free of the hold on her.

Only the intervention of the young werewolf the group had met on their travels saved them from certain death. Lou managed to destroy the vines binding Kaze, Lisa, and Makenshi, allowing them to defend themselves.

Unfortunately the battle was just beginning. The Earl revealed what he truly was, the vessel for Chaos. He impaled Lou with a tentacle, sending her flying. Lisa remembered cradling the girl as she whispered her final words, a soft declaration of love for Kaze. Turning from the dead girl, the wielder of the Magun faced his lifelong nemesis. It taunted him for just as the many years before, Kaze did not have any of the soil bullets used to summon the massive creatures. Makenshi didn't have the bottles of mist he needed for his summons either. In the end he turned himself into mist to seal Chaos's power. It was up to Kaze to finish it. He remembered his sister, giving her own life to provide ammunition to save their home world, Windaria. This time Lou willingly gave up her soul for him as well as the man's best friend, Moogle. Only one bullet was needed.

Lisa glanced down at the silver earring set with a single red gem. It was the only thing she had left of the man she loved. He'd never know how she felt about him. Even if he didn't feel the same way toward her, at least she'd know. Looking up to stare into the mirror, the woman threaded the earring through her own earlobe. Time to face the uncaring world.

* * *

He woke to darkness. That and a splitting headache. What happened? As his mind slowly caught up with his body, memories came flooding in. The twins captured, the deaths of Lou Lupus, Moogle and himself as well as his former enemy, Makenshi…. and the image of a raven-haired woman dressed in orange that inspired disturbing, yet not entirely unpleasant feelings.

"_Lisa, fire the Magun in my stead." _The man vividly recalled the last words he had spoken. Did she understand the significance behind that statement? Did she remember that the Magun was his very heart? He sat up with an almost inaudible groan. His left hand came up to massage his temples. Why had he asked Lisa, of all the people there, to fire his symbiotic weapon? Was it because she was the nearest to where he stood? Or was it something else that made him choose her?

Breathing deeply, the man closed his eyes. Not that he needed to, it was darker than a moonless night here, wherever 'here' was. Gradually the blackness began to lighten until it reached the level of dusk. He opened his eyes allowing them to adjust to where he could actually see. At that point he took in his surroundings. Nothing, just dimly lit emptiness. Finding it uninteresting, he turned his attention to himself. The earring he typically wore on his left ear was missing, as well as the broken pair of sunglasses. The glasses he could deal with, they weren't important. It was the earring that disappointed him. It had been his last link with his sister, Aura.

Deciding that it was time to move, the man made an effort to stand on his feet. As he had done many times before, he unfolded his long legs and used his Magun on his right arm to balance his weight as he got up. He placed his hand on the ground and stopped. Hand? Overbalancing, he fell back on his rear. Ignoring the pain, he raised his right arm to his eyes, a look of stark horror crossing his normally expressionless face. Where was the Magun? There was only a hand, an ordinary limb matching his left. Moving quickly, his gloved hand came to cover his chest. There, within his rib cage came a steady pulsing. His heart.


	2. Metropolis

_Nightmare-stalker here. I've finally got the second chapter up. waves flag Yay! I don't own Final Fantasy:Unlimited and I'm not making any money off of this fic. _

"Kuroki Kaze," Another man's voice came from behind him. The addressee jumped to his feet and flipped around to stare at the figure clad in white. Five black horn-like protrusions jutted out of from the front of his skull contrasting his white hair.

"Shiroi Kumo." Kaze answered calmly as if he wasn't at all surprised to find that his formal rival had survived. "Makenshi"

Makenshi met Kaze's cerulean eyes with his jade green ones and nodded. "Do you know where we are?" He asked.

"No."

"Farewell, Black Wind." The white swordsman turned and walked away. The man left behind gazed at his right arm again, still in shock. How could the Magun be gone? And how come there was a heart in his chest where no heart had ever existed before? Could it be because of Lisa? Did her strange power eliminate the Demon Gun? Or did she take it with her when she died in that final battle?

For some reason the thought of her death made him go cold all over. Why did she affect him this way? Why did he have this pressing need to find her? It wasn't because there wasn't anything left for him. He would not follow someone like a lost puppy simply because he had no place to go. He'd rather wander alone than submit to **that** humiliation. Whatever the reason, it didn't change what his heart was driving him to do; find Lisa. Taking a step forward, Kaze began his journey into the gloom.

* * *

"Half a year has passed." Lisa murmured to herself. Her melancholy brown eyes stared out the coffee shop window at the gently falling snow. Her hand rose to touch the earring she always wore. Since she had returned to Japan six months ago, the woman had thrown herself into work, hoping desperately that it would help her forget the nightmare of that day.

"Kaze." Lisa brought her fist down on the table, "Why did you have to die!"

"Miss?" A young woman with neat black hair dressed in the shop's uniform peered at her worriedly. "Are you all right?"

Lisa composed herself in a hurry and gave a half-hearted smile. "I'm fine, thank you."

The waitress gave a slow nod, a frown creasing her forehead. "Well, if you're sure," She didn't sound very convinced, but she moved off to help another customer. Lisa wasn't sorry to see her go. Laying her head on the table, the kigenjitsu master closed her eyes. _"Kaze_."

* * *

Kaze stopped at the base of a spiraling staircase. He glanced up at the innumerable amount of stairs. This was where the Ghost Train had been stationed before Omega had destroyed it. With it gone, how was he to search for Lisa?

"Hey!" A somewhat familiar voice called out from behind him. Kaze made an about face, drawing his shotgun out of its holster at the same time. His target, a young blond man wan electronic gadget perched on top of his head. Somewhere in the recesses of his memory, Kaze pulled out the man's name, Cid.

"Aren't you supposed to be dead? That's what Lisa and the others told us." Cid exclaimed.

Kaze slowly lowered his weapon. "Where are they?" He rasped. He wasn't about to indicate that it was Lisa's location he specifically wanted. .

Cid blinked. "Who?" He paused. "Oh, the Hayakawas and Lisa? They went back home." Kaze remained silent, pondering this information. Where exactly was this home world of hers and how in the blazes was he going to get there? Cid beckoned the stoic man to follow him. "I'll show you." With this, the invention/pilot took off running up the stairs. Kaze had little choice but to follow him.

Cid finally halted, bending over to catch his breath. Another path deviated from the stairs just off to his right. "Go that way. The Pillar is there," Cid panted as he pointed to the dark corridor.

Kaze's eyes narrowed. Did Cid mean the Pillar of Darkness? Could Lisa have possibly survived the transport through that? Could he? He stood there in silence debating his next action. Should he take this possibly fatal route or should he continue to search for another way to Lisa's world? Did another way even exist? Making up his mind, the enigma of a man proceeded down the path to the portal between Wonderland and her world.

* * *

"Lisa. Lisa. LISA!" A girl's shout brought Lisa's attention back to the present.

"Hmm, what?" She answered.

A young girl with pink pigtails and brown eyes stood in front of her. "Lisa, I've been calling you for the last five minutes."

"I'm sorry, Ai. I guess I was day dreaming." Lisa tried to smile, but it failed to fool the girl.

"Lisa, Cheer up. Mister is gone, and he won't be coming back." Ai reasoned, putting her hands on her hips. "He's not worth it. You should find someone that will love you back."

"Sis is right, Lisa." Ai's twin brother walked up behind her.

"Ai, Yu," The young woman turned her gaze from the twins to the clear sky. "It's not that easy to heal a broken heart." Looking at the boy and girl before her again. "You'll understand when you're older."

* * *

Kaze found himself floating on his back in a large body of salt water. He stared at the stars in the night sky wondering where he was. He remembered stepping into the dark purple vortex…. and then all went blank. The man righted himself to look around. To his left he could see a long flat shadow he took for the shoreline. To his right, there was only an empty stretch of water, and right in front of him…the Pillar of Darkness.

Deciding that getting to land would be the best course of action, Kaze took off swimming. Twenty minutes later he reached the point where he could walk. For a long silent moment the man stood on the beach staring at the large city that existed just beyond the sand. What was he going to do now? He guessed that this was Lisa's world, but how was he going to locate her in this city?

"Hey you! What are you doing here?" A querulous voice demanded. "This is a privately owned beach!"

At the first sound of the voice, Kaze pulled out his shotgun and aimed at the speaker. An old man hobbled toward him, leaning heavily on his can, and wearing a fierce scowl on his weathered suntanned face. Seeing the gun pointed at him, the old man halted in his tracks.

"Put that toy of yours away, young man." He grumbled. "It doesn't intimidate me."

Kaze blinked before holstering his weapon. An old man wasn't any threat to him. "I need to find someone."

"So get a phone book." The old man waved his cane scowl never leaving his face. "Just get off my property before I call the police."

Without a word, Kaze brushed past the old man, continuing on beyond the house, and onto the street. There, the crimson haired man stopped to assess the situation. Here he was in a foreign land with nothing but the name of the woman he needed to find. He supposed he could wander around until he ran into Lisa, or he could ask for assistance. It didn't take a rocket scientist to guess which choice he'd pick.

Morning found Kaze still roaming the metropolis. He received strange and wary glances from many a passerby as he mingled among them. He disregarded them without a thought. As long as they did not interfere with him they weren't of any import. It was several hours before the man stopped again. His path was blocked by masses of children pouring out of a large building in a great wave.

He paid little attention to individuals, his thoughts on what he would do once he found Lisa. It wasn't until a boy and girl halted in front of him. It was the girl's voice that brought him back to the real world.

"Mister?" She sounded shocked.

Her twin didn't sound any less surprised. "Kaze?"

Kaze gazed down at the two children. He knew who they were. "Where's Lisa?" He grunted cerulean eyes trained on Ai.

"Lisa?" Ai repeated dumbly. She had always known that Lisa had a thing for Kaze, but she never suspected Kaze returned that feeling.

"She's probably still at work, Kaze." Yu piped up. "But I can show you where her apartment is. Come on." The boy grabbed the man's gloved hand to lead him off. "Sis, tell Mom and Dad that I won't be home for a couple of hours!" He called out over his shoulder.

Kaze allowed Yu to pull him along, thinking only of seeing Lisa again.

"Boy, Lisa'll be glad to see you." Yu rambled on. "She's been so depressed since you've been gone."

Kaze stopped in his tracks causing Yu to jerk to a halt. Lisa? Depressed because of him? She mourned his death that much? "How long?"

"How long what?" Yu looked confused.

"My absence."

"Oh." Comprehension dawned on the boy's face. "It's been about seven months now. Lisa could tell you the exact time." He tugged on Kaze's hand, impatient to be off. The man sighed softly and tailed after Yu.

The pair finally halted in front of another tall nameless building. Kaze's blue eyes wandered up the structure.

"Kaze, let's go." Yu yelled, holding open the door to the elevator. The stoic man shifted his gaze to the boy before walking over to join him. The door closed and the elevator began its ascent. At the first jolt of the machine's climb Kaze's eyes widened, and his hand automatically flew to the holster strapped to his left leg. Yu, intent on the view of the city outside, did not notice his companion's reaction. Through the glass panes that made up the elevator, both boy and man could see nearly the entire city and the ocean beyond. With a ding, the doors to the elevator retracted and Yu jumped off followed closely by Kaze. They strolled down the sunlit hallway until they hit the very last door.

"I'll knock." Yu explained. "I think she's still at work, but I don't know for sure." Kaze backed up a pace, melding with the shadows cast by hanging laundry. From the doorway, a person would not be able to spot the mysterious cloaked man.

At Yu's second rap on the door, it opened and Lisa smiled at the boy. Her red rimmed eyes and blotchy complexion were evidence that she had been crying.

"Yu, what a surprise. Where's Ai?"

"Sis's at home right now. I needed to bring something to you."

"Oh?" The woman cocked an eyebrow. "Why don't you come in? I have to finish up this phone conversation, but go ahead and make yourself comfortable." Lisa turned from the doorway to retreat back inside the apartment.

Yu looked over at Kaze and grinned. He beckoned the man to follow him inside. Lisa hung up the phone. That had been her boss. Apparently there had been some commotion at the Pillar of Darkness and the agency wanted her to check it out. Why her? That Pillar held too many bad memories. The death of her mother, and that of the man she loved were stored there. She had promised to think it over, but she had no intention of accepting this mission.

"Sorry that took so long, Yu." Lisa said as she came out of the kitchen. "Now what was it that brought you all the way here to see me?"

Yu silently pointed to the doorway, and Lisa stared. She stumbled backwards to fall onto the couch. An impossibility stood silhouetted on her doorstep.

"_Kaze_…"

**_A/N: sighs I broke my vow of not including the twins in this. Guess they had other plans. Hopefully they won't show up later. Thanks to all my reviewers! _**


	3. Now What?

_Nightmare: Hi everybody! Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up. Kaze, Lisa, and Oscha didn't want to come out and play with me.  
Oscha: Why should I work for a woman who wishes to eliminate me?  
Nightmare: Go away, Jester.  
Oscha: Oh, I don't think so. I have to give the disclaimer. Final Fantasy: Unlimited does not belong to Nightmare-stalker. Nor is she benefiting from this work in monetary value.  
Nightmare: You're finished; now go away until I'm ready for you. Anyway, thank you QueenofLight, Kondoru, and Valinor's Twilight for the reviews. And thank you BishounenStalker for helping me with Oscha's character. _

* * *

Lisa stared in utter shock at the appearance of Kaze. He was dead. She had shot what was left of him out of the Magun. He couldn't be standing here and now in front of her. 

Kaze took a step forward that brought him into the apartment. He watched as the woman collapsed on the sofa, stunned and confused. Kaze, himself, was bewildered. What was he going to do now that he had found Lisa? "Lisa." He murmured.

The single word he spoke, her name, sent Lisa to her feet and running to Kaze. With a strangled sob, she careened into him, wrapping her arms around his thin waist and burying her face in his chest.

Kaze's eyes widened at Lisa's abrupt embrace. He stiffened, not quite sure how to react. Noticing his rigid posture she began to draw away. She suddenly remembered how he felt about close physical contact. It was a surprise when she felt an arm slowly, hesitantly, wrap around her waist.

As Kaze pulled Lisa closer to him he heard the door shut softly. Yu, figuring that the two would want some privacy, had exited the apartment and presumably began the trek home. With this woman so intimately held against him, Kaze could easily feel the quivers of muffled sobs she produced. He let her cry keeping her in his protective embrace.

Lisa felt Kaze push her back slightly and lift her chin to look at him. His blue eyes locked with her brown ones a pained look crossing his face. Unused to using his right arm for anything but firing the Magun, Kaze clumsily wiped a tear from Lisa's cheek with his bare hand. Lisa's eyes widened at the feel of a second set of fingers brushing against her face. She stared at the arm bereft of the Magun.

"T-the Magun…" Lisa stuttered.

Kaze dropped his hand. "Gone." He answered quietly.

"But your heart…" The bewilderment replaced the sadness shown before.

In reply Kaze took one of Lisa's hands in his and pressed her palm against his chest. "Here."

"H-how did you survive?" The woman asked, still stunned at the appearance of the man she loved. "You died. I fired the Magun." She stopped when Kaze placed a finger against her lips. Only then did she realize how close they were. Heat rushed to her cheeks, and she opened her mouth to ask why. Again Kaze stopped her from speaking by keeping his fingers against her mouth.  
"I don't know." He offered a brief explanation. His grip around her tightened when she burst into tears again. He awkwardly stroked her long black hair, marveling at how soft it was and wondering what in the world he was doing here. His hand brushed against her ear and the object attached. Curious, the Black Wind moved aside the silky hair to see what he had touched. His earring.

Lisa, by this time, had realized what Kaze found. She drew away, raising a hand to touch the earring in what seemed to be a habitual motion. Her fingers encountered Kaze's and she blushed again. "It was the only thing I had left of you." She said. When Kaze made no inclination to speak, Lisa continued. "I found it next to my hand when I woke up." She met his eyes, glanced at the floor, and then began to remove the earring. "I'm sorry. I didn't know you would be coming back for it."

Kaze caught Lisa's hand halting her attempts to remove the piece of jewelry. "Leave it." His gaze softened. "I didn't come for the earring."

Lisa's eyebrows knit in confusion. "Then why…?" It wasn't that she was being dense, for all she knew, the Black Wind simply held her to comfort her. After all, the one time he had ridden the Ghost Train with her and the twins, he allowed Lou Lupus to cuddle with him. The man was hardly cruel; he simply chose to isolate himself from all emotions other than revenge. She stiffened, staring at Kaze with wide frightened eyes. "Is it Chaos?" Why he would come to her because of that was beyond her comprehension. Maybe he hoped she would still have the Magun. It was necessary for the battle against the ravenous beast.

Kaze shook his head lightly. "No." He whispered. Lisa remained quiet waiting for him to explain himself. Kaze struggled vainly to describe why he was here with her. But how could he tell her when he didn't even know himself?

Lisa watched the confusion and frustration battle within his eyes though his face didn't reveal any emotion. She stepped away from the gunman who let her go reluctantly, his blue eyes still pinned on her. "There was a commotion three days ago at the Pillar." Lisa began softly sitting down on the couch silently inviting the man to do the same. "Was that you?"

Kaze shook his head. He wasn't quite sure how time flowed in this strange world, but he could guess well enough that he hadn't been here for that long.

Lisa's eyebrows knit in concentration, "Then what could it be?" She frowned to herself as she began to think aloud. "If the agency wanted me to check it out, it must be because of Wonderland." Her brown eyes shifted to Kaze, then widened. "If you're here, is Makenshi alive!"

Kaze nodded. "White Cloud lives."

Lisa frowned again. "Could it be him that came through?" She shook her head. "No. He wouldn't cause such an uproar." She gave a shaky smile and stood up. "All this idle speculation isn't going to get me anywhere closer to an answer. I guess I'll have to call up my boss and tell him I'm going to the Pillar."

Kaze also rose to his feet, but, true to his nature, he didn't say anything. He heard the Kigen master in the adjoining room speaking to someone that he couldn't hear. Curiosity urged him to get up and see what was happening. Poking his head around the corner of the door he witnessed Lisa talking into a strange device. Apparently it allowed her to contact people from far away distances. Lisa finally bid the person goodbye and placed the telephone receiver back into its cradle.

"I'll be going right after I change." She explained, her cheeks once again turning red. "I-I don't know if I have the right to ask, but would you come with me?"

A rare smile hovered around Kaze's unseen lips. He nodded once. "I will come."

Lisa face brightened as a smile lit up her face. It was the first real smile she had worn since her return from Wonderland. "Thank you." Only minutes later did she return to the front room clad in a pair of blue jeans and a skin tight top in her traditional shade of orange. A leather belt hung diagonally across her waist and calf length boots adorned her feet. She had braided her black hair, tying it off with a matching orange ribbon. Finally ready, the woman turned to Kaze. His cerulean eyes appraised her appearance, but he, like always, refrained from commenting. Under his intense gaze Lisa blushed again. To cover up her embarrassment, she picked up the keys to her apartment and headed out the door. Kaze followed her silently knowing she was far more familiar with this place.

The bullet train ride to the coast was nothing new to the man. It wasn't any different that the Ghost Train, except for the sheer amount of _people_ that rode along side him. He still received wary and fearful looks from the other passengers and they would have avoided him like the plague had he not been with Lisa. The nearest station to the coast was where they exited. There was only a short trek to the beach.

At this time of night the beach was deserted. Lisa walked right up to the tide line, just out of reach of the water. She stared at the Pillar, a startling upset in its surroundings. Kaze joined her, following her line of sight.

"From here I can't see anything different," Lisa broke the silence, "But it has been three days. Anything that came through the Pillar would be long gone."

Kaze didn't answer verbally. He grabbed Lisa's shoulder, pulling her behind him. Drawing his handgun, he aimed at the empty sands and fired several times.

"Black Wind, so you did survive." A disturbingly recognizable voice chuckled. A shadow rose from the soft ground to form into a vaguely man-like shape. Roughly cylindrical in shape with a pair of horizontal "horns" crowning its head all in a combination of shapes in black, green, gold, and red, the figure was easily identified. The mask he wore, now broken, showed a rather creepy looking eye.

Lisa recoiled. She knew this creature. His elastic form to his varying pitches of his voice, she always thought he was creepy.

The Earl's former henchman wriggled forward. Kaze fired off another round.

"Surely you don't expect to hurt me with that paltry weapon. Where is your Magun, Black Wind?"

Kaze cursed under his breath. What a time to be without a supernatural weapon. Nevertheless his aim remained unwavering on his target. "Oscha…." He murmured.

**A/N: _What do you guys think of the missing Magun? And what about Lisa's outfit? I don't know how she was able to fight in that mini skirt. Please let me know! Thanks. _**


	4. Oscha

_Nightmare-stalker: Here I am again. Whoo, I finally got it done. First I had writer's block, and then my computer didn't want to work for me. But I persevered and got chapter 4 up and running. I've gotten over 300 hits on this story so far, but only 5 reviews. I must have more! I crave your opinions. I can't make a story better if I don't know what my readers want, now can I? So, please R&R. I'll love you forever. Oh, and before I forget….I don't own Final Fantasy: Unlimited nor any of it's characters. However I do own Nakamura Hashi. He's mine. Unless anyone else wants him. I'd rather have Kaze. _

The shadow man wriggled in joy. It is so good to see you again, Black Wind. Wonderland hasn't been the same without you."

Lisa stepped to stand side by side with Kaze. His blue eyes briefly glanced at her movement then returned to his enemy. "What are you doing here?" The woman demanded. She was very glad her voice only shook a little."

"Why, I came looking for you, young lady." Oscha answered.

"Me?" Lisa blinked in confusion. Kaze's face remained unmoving, his gun held steady on Oscha's writhing form.

"Yes, my dear, you." Oscha seemed to grin behind the broken mask. "Your powers over Nature are perfect for what needs to be done."

"What **are** you talking about?" Lisa clearly expected an answer.

"If I told you, it would spoil the surprise." He moved forward and was forced to dodge a barrage of bullets.

"She's not going." Kaze stated calmly. His expression remained passive, concealing the boiling rage within him. Deep in his soul the man knew he had to protect Lisa at all costs. Bewilderment threaded its way through the anger. He knew he had to protect the woman beside him but he didn't know why. Frustration bubbled up to join in the emotional turmoil. He had always been in control of himself, always having a reason behind his every action. But now? He was clueless as a child just learning how to read. He could see the words, but failed to comprehend them. All this because of one orange clad woman.

"Oh?" Oscha's voice dragged Kaze from his internal struggle. He blinked. Now was not the time to be soul searching.

"She's not going." The man repeated. He again moved to stand in front of Lisa.

Oscha slid forward, bending to the side to avoid another bullet. "Is something wrong with the Magun?" The jester-like creature insinuated. "Why don't you use it?"

Kaze refused to rise to the bait, sending off another round. Oscha easily evaded the attack. The Black Wind growled behind his cowl. This was getting him nowhere, and his foe was inching closer. He would not let Lisa be taken away against her will. Lisa watched the man she loved battle with Oscha knowing it was a futile effort. If they were going to get out of this mess, it was up to her. She loathed the fact that in Wonderland Kaze always had to rescue her and the twins. She had trained so hard all her life, and yet she had let her mother down.

"Kaze," Lisa whispered in a lull between gunshots. Kaze's eyes briefly flashed to look at her and he nodded ever so slightly to show that he was listening. "When I touch the sand, I want you to take my hand and run to the water." She continued in the same hoarse whisper.

The man looked sharply at her. If he grabbed her hand, Oscha would know that he no longer possessed the Magun. He returned looking at his enemy. On the other hand, Oscha already had guessed something was wrong. Kaze frowned; he didn't know what Lisa was up to. Could he allow himself to trust her? Could he have enough faith in her to believe that she knew what she was doing? He nodded once in acquiescence.

Lisa gave sketchy smile and subtly moved her hands in a well practiced set of gestures. "Spirits of the sinking sands capture our foe in your timeless embrace." Her palm impacted the ground, ripples of energy flowing toward Oscha. Before Oscha could react, a gaping hole appeared beneath him. As the pit swallowed him, the sand spilled in after to resume its place.

Lisa knew the beach wouldn't hold Oscha for long, but hopefully it would be enough for Kaze and her to escape. Kaze obediently snatched Lisa's hand and dragged her into the waves. "Spirits of the crashing surf, hear my plea. Aid us in our escape." Lisa chanted about the noise of splashing feet. Abruptly the man and woman were sprinting on wet sand, limp water vegetation, and startled fish.

Kaze had just the presence of mind to draw in a deep breath and hold it before a monstrous wave engulfed them. Dark rushing water assaulted the man's senses. Even though his lungs screamed for air, he refused to draw in breath. Finally after what seemed like an eternity he was thrown violently onto a rock cliff. He groaned, rolling over onto his back. After all the hard landings he had experienced in his lifetime, one would think that this impact wouldn't be any big deal.

"Kaze?" He heard Lisa's soft voice calling out to him. "Are you okay?" The luxury of lying still after falling was a rarity he wanted to take advantage of, but the concern in her voice drove the man to his feet. "Yes." He grunted once standing. He blinked in confusion and alarm when Lisa suddenly doubled over and her body began to tremble. He rushed to her side, stretching out a hand to lay on her shoulder. His sudden wish for physical contact with this woman when he had never desired to touch anybody before, baffled the man, but his concern for Lisa overruled his quest for answers. It was then that he realized that she was laughing. "What?" Kaze asked.

Lisa glanced up at him and burst into giggles once again. The ties binding his hair had vanished, covering him in a dripping shroud of crimson-brown. The bangs that partially masked his blue eyes normally now blocked them completely, the hair ironed flat by the salt water. Under his glower Lisa gained enough control over herself to straighten. The expression that crossed Kaze's face when a large fat droplet of water splashed onto his nose from his hair nearly sent her off again. Only then did Kaze notice his appearance. He probably looked like a drowned rat. He could see now why the woman was laughing. His sister had done the same when they were younger.

Lisa knew that she wasn't in much better shape. At least the tie in her hair had stayed in place. "I have to report to my superior. Oscha obviously was the one that is causing all the disturbances. His office is closer than my apartment so I'll go there first."

Kaze took his hair in his left hand, wringing the excess water from it. His right hand, due to force of habit, remained at his side. He looked up when the woman began speaking, and he nodded. He answered to no higher authority than himself, but he recognized the need for Lisa to explain to her commander. The former wielder of the Magun released his still damp mane and faced Lisa. "It's time"

Lisa's eyes widened. "Y-you mean you'll go with me?" She stopped, blushed, and tried to amend her statement, "I mean, what I'm trying to say is…um…"

Kaze walked up to her and once again placed a finger to her lips, effectively silencing her. "Yes." He murmured, his normally stoic expression softening. He studied her face closely. Her cheeks, already pink, darkened as her blush deepened. This was the face that brought him out of the darkness, the voice that called him in the silence, the eyes he could not forget.

He remembered when he had first encountered her. He had been entrenched in a briar hedge when the boy, Yu, tripped over him. But it was her voice that awoke him from his sleep. After that first meeting, he always seemed to run into the woman and her two young charges. The Magun had the power to draw him from world to world, and it was strangely attracted to the twins. At one point, Lisa had called him a monster. At that point in time it hadn't hurt. He had been called much worse in his lifetime. But later, much later when he'd had time to think, the insult had cut deep. She never knew, of course. He never did allow his emotions to reveal themselves very often. He had learned early on in his childhood that to do so would invite trouble. After he had helped against the Wandering Sea, Lisa came to him to apologize for what she had said. From what she had said, the woman had been fretting over her angry words and she wished to make amends. How could he refuse her? His heart nearly stopped when she had saved the Jane using the spirit of her life in the first cube of the Ocean Puzzle. Fortunately he had the power to recall her. Kaze stalwartly refused to think of what would have happened if he hadn't.

"Um…Kaze?" Lisa's hesitant query focused his attention back on the present. The man blinked. "The sand won't hold Oscha forever." Kaze backed up a step and nodded. Lisa, her face still flushed, smiled and led the way off the rocks back to the city.

* * *

"So, you're saying that this creature, Os…" The man behind the desk tapped his fingers on the hard surface as he tried to record all that he was told.

"Oscha, sir." Lisa inserted. "He's the culprit. He said he was after me, but wouldn't tell me why."

Her boss, a man of small proportions, gave a slight smile. He was dressed in a black business suit accessorized with a deep blue tie. His short black hair had a few silver streaks at his temples and his dark eyes were surrounded by laugh lines. "You are quite a prize, Lisa." His voice was a surprisingly deep for such a small man. "I'm sure your lover agrees." He inclined his head toward the dark silent Kaze.

Lisa's cheeks grew hot. "Oh, um, I, uh...Sir, in my haste, I forgot to provide introductions. Mr. Nakamura, this is Kuroki Kaze. Kaze, this is my boss, Nakamura Hashi."

Kaze nodded once at his name, his mind busy appraising this human. He obviously had a fairly close relationship with Lisa to be so familiar with her. Kaze's eyes narrowed. But what kind of relationship did they share. He could tell that they weren't blood related; his keen eyes detected none of the similarities that families bore. A former lover then? A surge of some unknown emotion engulfed him, and his left hand closed around the grip of his gun. Only his iron will stopped him from drawing the weapon. He wrenched himself from the grip of his feelings and stood back far enough to examine them. The light dawned. It was jealousy. He was jealous of this Nakamura! Blue eyes riveted back onto Lisa's superior. They were back in discussion about Oscha and his possible motives. In many ways, Kaze was floundering in unknown territory. He didn't know what constituted behavior between lovers, former or otherwise. Oh, he recognized animalistic lust well enough, but beyond the physical he was clueless. So if Lisa and Nakamura were closer than friends, Kaze wouldn't know what to look for. Nor did he know how to get the woman to notice him. He once was told he had all the social skills of a rock. He'd had no need to develop those skills. Revenge had been his sole motivation in life and anything else was inconsequential.

"Oscha did say that my Kigen Arts were part of his plan." Lisa was saying. "But I don't know anymore than that. I'm sorry."

Nakamura sighed. "I had hoped you could unearth a little more information, but if this Oscha is after you then I think I'll pull you off this case."

"But, sir—"

"No buts, Miss Pacifist. It's for your own safety." The little man's eyes were hard as agate.

Lisa opened her mouth to protest, and then dropped her gaze to the floor. "Yes, sir." She muttered.

"Lisa," He sighed, his eyes closing. "I promised your father before he died that I'd try and keep you as safe as possible. Try to understand. You are one of our best agents and I don't want to risk you unnecessarily. I chose you initially because you, of all our people, have the most experience with the Inner World, but since you're the target…" Nakamura shook his head. "You'll have to sit this one out. In fact, I think I'll put you under 24 hour surveillance."

Lisa looked horrified. Such a prospect meant she wouldn't have a moment to herself. Kaze decided that he'd take steps. "I will protect her." He asserted.

Nakamura glanced at him, eyes wide. "You? Forgive me, but you don't seem like you would be much help."

In answer, Kaze drew his weapon and fired once. The bullet buzzed past Nakamura's ear, leaving only a slight scratch. Lisa's boss turned around to glance at the wall where the bullet had impacted. Next to the hole lay the remains of a spider that had been perched on his ear. He opened his mouth, and then closed it. "I apologize, sir. I have clearly underestimated your abilities. Lisa," He asked the woman, "Will you agree to this?"

"Do I have much of a choice?" She returned with a wan smile. "I promise I'll behave."

"Good. I'll keep you updated." This was clearly a dismissal. Lisa bowed and left the room. Kaze holstered his weapon and followed her. He'd have his hands full keeping her safe.


	5. Wonderland's Break Up?

_I've come back! I'm sorry about the long wait. I've had other things going on in my life. I've been working on an original story of mine, two role-plays, enduring back pain, sleeping off pain medication, and losing my art groove. But I finally came back. Yes, this is still Chapter 5, but I changed a few things at the recommendations of my viewers as well as added a scene. I love my reviewers! group hug _

_I don't own Final Fantasy: Unlimited. Square Enix does. All I'm getting out of it is the joy of writing and the happiness of my readers. _

The way back to Lisa's apartment was largely uneventful. There was a slight scuffle when a group of adolescent thugs tried to pick Lisa up. They stopped abruptly when Kaze appeared out of the shadow's bearing his large handgun. "Move." Kaze growled. He may not have been able to get rid of Oscha divested of his Magun, but he could and would fend off petty villains such as these.

Lisa smiled up at the man. She had been prepared to defend herself should the situation require it, but a girl always dreams of her knight in shining armor. A short elevator ride brought the two up to the apartment.

"Um…" Lisa's cheeks flushed. "I suppose you will have to stay here. It's too late to make any other arrangements."

Kaze nodded in acquiescence. Even if it was early enough to stay elsewhere, he would still have insisted that he stay near her. He told himself that it was because he was concerned about her safety, but privately he had to admit that he just wanted to be with her.

"Kaze?" The woman's voice called from the back of the apartment. Kaze followed the sound of her voice until he reached the one and only bedroom. Like the rest of the place, it had little in decoration. Lisa usually wasn't home long enough to warrant the need for interior design. Only a couple pictures adorned the walls; her family Kaze assumed.

"You'll have to sleep on the couch, I'm afraid." Lisa gave a small embarrassed smile. "My bed isn't big enough to accommodate you. I'm sorry."

Kaze shook his head. "Very well." He grunted. He didn't like it. She may have been only a room away, but he still wouldn't be able to keep one eye on her. But he hardly was going to insist on staying in the same room with her. Maybe later, but not now. Lisa handed him a couple of blankets, picked up a pillow and led the way back to the front room. She glanced over at the man, noticing that his hair still floated free of confinement.

"Um…I'll get you something to tie your hair back." Lisa stammered nervously, and fled the scene. She made it to the bathroom and leaned against the counter. As old as she was, she hadn't been in very many relationships, and none of them had been physical. Her job simply kept her too busy to pursue any lasting attachments, and the men she did meet hadn't attracted her interest. Kaze was different. She didn't know how, but he was. That was why she was so nervous about him staying in her apartment. She was so new at this. No man had ever stayed with her except for her father and one of her cousins.

Digging through the medicine cabinet, Lisa came up with a couple of her spare hair ties. Returning to Kaze, she handed him the black bands. The man looked at them for a moment, then at Lisa, and back at the ties. Again, clumsily he attempted to use his right hand in pulling his hair back. After a few failed attempts, Lisa took pity on him and helped the man out. "You'll get used to it soon." She encouraged him. An awkward silence followed. Finally Lisa spoke up. "We'd better get some sleep. Good night, Kaze. Sleep well." She smiled and retreated. At the head of the hallway, she turned around to face the man. "I-I-I-I'll see you in the morning"

Kaze sat down, staring after her. "Goodnight." He whispered in the darkness. "_Lisa…_"

A shrill scream woke Kaze out of a half doze. He shot to his feet, running to Lisa's room. Cursing himself for falling asleep, the man burst into the room. Lisa had jumped out of bed and landed in a defensive stance. There, illuminated in the moonlight, stood a man clad in white.

"Oscha is after you." Makenshi stated calmly, ignoring Kaze's appearance. "I want to know why."

Lisa stared into the jade green eyes, her sleep fogged brain trying to catch up with the man's request.

"She doesn't know." Kaze spoke up. His handgun, while not in a ready position, still rested in his hand.

Makenshi turned to look at his former enemy. "And you, Black Wind?" Kaze shook his head.

"No."

"Um…" Lisa said. "Why are you concerned?"

Makenshi returned his attention to the nightgown clad woman. "With the power of Chaos gone, Wonderland is breaking apart. The various worlds brought into the Earl's kingdom are returning to their former places." He sighed. "I tracked Oscha here and as it were, his trail intersected yours many times leading me to believe that **you** are his target."

"Wonderland is breaking up?" Lisa repeated dumbly.

Makenshi nodded once, a frustrated and slightly worried look in his normally expressionless eyes. "Oscha was and is the most dangerous of the Earl's minions"

"Other than you," She added.

A small smile touched the white man's lips. "I never truly worked for the Earl." He gazed out the window. "In some ways Oscha is more dangerous than I. I want to know what he's planning."

"Well..." Lisa let out her trademark laugh. "I'm sure Kaze will be able to find you if we discover anything."

Makenshi threw a glance at the second man. Kaze remained unresponsive for a few moments then finally nodded his assent.

"Thank you." Makenshi said and left the same way he had come in, the window.


	6. New Boyfriend?

_Nightmare-stalker: I made it! I finally got chapter six up! YAY! I'm sorry it took so long! I hope you enjoy! By the way, I don't own Final Fantasy: Unlimited. SquareEnix does. If I did there would be far more Lisa/Kaze romance. _

Lisa glanced around and finally met eyes with Kaze. Her cheeks flushed, suddenly realizing that she was only clad in her nightgown. She rubbed the back of her head and laughed nervously. "Sorry about that, Kaze. So, um, I guess it's time for us to go back to sleep."

Kaze could tell that this was a pointed hint to leave her room. He sighed and stepped toward the woman. He reached out with his right hand and brushed a strand of her hair out of her face. He was getting better at using it now. Lisa stared at him in confusion. Kaze himself was confused. He didn't know what he was doing; he was just making it up as he went along. Finally sliding his fingers down her cheek, he dropped his hand. "Sleep well." He mumbled and walked out.

"_Kaze..."_ Lisa whispered after his retreating figure.

Lisa's alarm clock awoke both occupants of the apartment. Lisa groaned and hit the offending object, silencing its loud ring. Kaze appeared once more at her doorway on battle alert. "Relax, Kaze," Lisa smiled at the man, "It's just my alarm." She stretched and climbed out of bed. "If you will excuse me, I'm going to take a shower." A small smile twitched at the edge of Kaze's lips and he strode out of the room once again. He sank into a half doze, but his eyes flashed open once Lisa walked in.

"Um..." Lisa paused, "I actually have to go grocery shopping. I don't keep a whole lot of food here." Kaze nodded in understanding. "And, um, you don't look like you belong here." The man raised an eyebrow in a silent question. "Your outfit, Kaze, you stand out like a sore thumb."

Kaze looked over himself. Yes, compared to the people he had seen of this world, he was dressed quite differently. "So?" He prompted.

"Give me a moment, okay?" Lisa opened her front door and vanished through it. Moments later she returned carrying a few items. "Here," She handed the pile of cloth to him, "These should fit you."

He blinked looking down at the neatly folded clothes, up at Lisa's face, then back down at the cloth. He sighed and obediently left to change. He returned five minutes later in a plain black polo-shirt and dark blue jeans. He kept his boots. The clothes were different for certain, but not uncomfortable. He was about to put his black cloak on again, but Lisa shook her head. He sighed again. One thing that he did not allow for discussion was his handgun. He would **not** be going around unarmed. Lisa shrugged taking her loss gracefully and both left the apartment.

Kaze followed Lisa silently. Again, most people avoided the tall man, probably because he had that huge gun strapped to his thigh. Kaze...ignored them. His eyes were busy looking for threats to the woman he traveled with and Oscha. However busy his eyes were, his mind was just as occupied. He hadn't had time to think much on why he was here, on why he _wanted_ to be here. But, as Lisa picked out the various food items, he finally realized he was in love with this woman. Now came his next dilemma. How could he let her know of his feelings? He had only cared for two people in his entire life and never in this fashion. He sighed.

"Kaze?" Lisa turned to him. "Is everything alright?"

The man nodded, "Yes."

She looked unconvinced, but she let it pass. "I think I'm all finished here." With that she walked up to the check out stand, bought the items and the two left. On the way back, Lisa ran into one of her collogues and friends.

"Oh Lisa!" The young woman quickly embraced her. "I've been so worried about you!"

"Good morning, Misha." Lisa tried to juggle her purchases and hug her friend at the same time. Kaze wordlessly took the bag from Lisa so that she wouldn't drop it. "How have you been?"

"I've been wonderful." Misha gushed. "I just barely got a raise and Jake proposed!"

Lisa's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Jake did?" She smiled and embraced her friend again, "It's about time. Congratulations."

It was then Misha noticed Kaze. "And who's this?" She asked curiously and turned to Lisa, "New boyfriend?"

Lisa blushed and gave her traditional fake laugh, "This is Kaze. Kaze, this is Misha an old friend of mine."

Kaze nodded once in acknowledgement.

"Nice to meet you," Misha grinned. "You certainly have the 'Tall, Dark, and Handsome' part down pat, don't you?"

Kaze remained silent, watching the girl impassively.

"Mysterious too," She observed, "And Silent." She met Lisa's brown eyes. "I think you caught a good one." She nodded. Lisa blushed further. "Well, I have errands to run. Once we set the date, I'll send you an invitation, okay. Bye!" With that, the exuberant Misha bounded away.

Lisa held out her arms to take the grocery bag back from Kaze and he complied without comment. He'd need his hands free if anything came up. "We've known each other ever since we were fifteen." Lisa explained. "She's always been a bit hyper."

Kaze raised an eyebrow. He could think of a few other names to call her, but he decided to keep his mouth shut. He was good at that. Instead he simply nodded.

Lisa smiled up at him and they continued on their way until they made it back to Lisa's apartment.

The woman fixed up some breakfast for the two of them. Kaze looked down at the plate before him then the chopsticks beside it. He returned his gaze to Lisa to watch her eat. She paused. "Oh, I guess you wouldn't know how to use chopsticks." She stood and made her way over to the man. "I'll show you." Taking his left hand in hers she manipulated his fingers over the utensils. "This is how." Still covering his hand, she helped him pick up the food. "See?"

Kaze nodded. While he had trouble with the chopsticks at first, he soon mastered them well enough to finish his meal. Lisa picked up the dishes and began to wash them. Kaze simply sat and watched.

"Lisa..." He started.

The woman turned to look at him. "Kaze?"

"Oscha will come again." He murmured.

"I figured that." Lisa finished with her task and came to sit down beside him. "What are we going to do about it?"

"I..." The former Magun wielder looked away and sighed, "I don't know..."

She nodded, "I don't know either." She gave a slight smile. "Maybe if we put our heads together we can come up with something."

Kaze nodded in response. "Oscha doesn't respond to mundane weapons."

"I noticed." Lisa said dryly.

Kaze actually responded with a faint smile. Without the cowl covering half his face, Lisa clearly saw it. She decided it looked quite nice on his face. Without thinking she reached out and traced the curves of his lips. Kaze's blue eyes widened with surprise and abruptly Lisa was made aware of exactly what she had done. Her cheeks flared red in embarrassment and she retracted her hand. He caught it, enfolding it in his own large hands. He stood and gently pulled Lisa into him his right arm encircling her waist. "Lisa, I..."

Lisa looked up at him with wide brown eyes. Kaze was unaware of what exactly he was about to do but he wanted to let this woman know how he felt about her. "I..."

_**A/N: Well? What do you think of Kaze's new outfit? I seem to like to redress these people. But how would you react if a tall guy dressed like Kaze was walking around town? **_


	7. Confession

_I'm here! This chapter is dedicated to TifaValentine99. It was her birthday last week. T.T I'm sorry I'm late! I've been feeling crappy all week so I didn't get anything done. But here it is! Happy Birthday TifaValentine99! __Oh! And Final Fantasy: Unlimited and all its characters are not mine. They belong to SquareEnix. And I'm only getting satisfaction and enjoyment out of this. No money. Enjoy! _

Kaze was unaware of what exactly he was about to do but he wanted to let this woman know how he felt about her. "I..."

Lisa had one hand braced against his chest; the other remained trapped within Kaze's. He seemed to be struggling to say something, conflicting emotions battling in his cerulean eyes. She knew better than to prompt him. It would be more likely he'd cease talking than continue.

The man released Lisa's hand to brush a stray hair out of her face, fingers brushing lightly against her skin. What to do now? What to say? Kaze silently cursed himself. All he was good at was battle. Emotional situations left him baffled.

"Kaze?" Lisa asked a worried tone in her voice. She reached up to touch his cheek. She could tell something was wrong, but what it was exactly remained beyond her comprehension.

He froze at her touch, an electric shock passing through his entire body. For the first time in his life he was desperately afraid.

Lisa dropped her hand when he halted all movement and she looked down. Why was it that every time she touched him he stopped dead in his tracks? Suddenly she felt a hand lift her chin. She found herself drowning in a pair of blue eyes, eyes that she could not forget.

"Lisa..." Kaze whispered, barely audible to her ears.

She was about to ask what he wanted when her intended words were abruptly cut off by his mouth upon hers. Her eyes flew open in surprise. This was something she did not expect.

Kaze withdrew from the gentle kiss, eyes boring into Lisa desperately watching for her reaction. He was terrified that she would reject him.

Lisa reached up to touch her lips, still frozen in shock. She looked up into Kaze's face noticing an expression she had never seen from him, fear. The woman touched his cheek then curled around the back of his head to tangle her fingers in his hair. The action forced Kaze down to her level and she answered with a light kiss of her own. Kaze trembled, shivers going up and down his spine and his heart pounded in his chest. Lisa's reaction greatly relieved him. When she made no motion to move away, he wrapped both arms around her and increased the pressure of his lips on hers. Lisa broke the kiss a few moments later, breathing hard. But she soon returned her attention to his mouth.

Kaze could feel her heart beating in rhythm with his and he found he was losing control over coherent thought. He made one effort to recall his faculties, but Lisa's fingers stroking his chest made him decide to surrender to his feelings. The moment Lisa's lips parted, the former wielder of the Magun took the opportunity to slip his tongue between them. He felt the electric shock that ran through her and he recognized the same feeling flowing through him.

Lisa finally pulled away, her chest heaving. "Kaze," She panted, "This isn't the time."

A wave of disappointment flooded his mind, but he exerted his well trained will and nodded. "Lisa," He whispered, holding her tightly, "I...love you."

**A/N: Wow! Make out session with Kaze! Who would like that opportunity? I know I would! **


	8. Thinking Problem

_Nightmare-stalker here! Wow! It's been a year since I last updated. And I finally decided to write again! Thanks for everyone being so patient with me! I love you guys.__Now, this isn't the full chapter…call it a taste, if you will. Something to nibble on while I write the rest. Oh and FF:U nor any of it's characters belong to me. I am making no money on this. It'd be nice…but I'm not. SquareEnix is getting it all. _

"I…love you."

Three simple words stopped the world, three words that Lisa had longed to hear. "You…love me?" She whispered, not quite sure if she had heard him correctly.

Kaze nodded, reaching up to lightly caress her cheek. His expression was far softer and more vulnerable than Lisa had ever seen on him. The sensations coursing through him were foreign but he would not exchange them for anything. He could feel his body long for this woman held against him, longing to continue down the path it had started, but as Lisa had said moments earlier, this was not the time, nor the place.

Reluctantly Kaze loosened his embrace, allowing Lisa the opportunity to leave. The look she gave him said that she hadn't wanted to stop any more than he.

"Later," She whispered, "After Oscha we will have all the time in the world."

Kaze nodded and backed away, unsure if he'd be able to keep control with her so near. By all that was holy he wanted this woman with every fiber of his being. Only by sheer willpower, that talent that had kept him alive until now, held him back from acting upon his desire.

Lisa gave him a sketchy smile, "It's late, Kaze. Morning comes early."

The man of the Black Wind nodded once and followed her to the bedroom. "Sleep…well," He murmured with one last carress upon her cheek.

Lisa's cheeks reddened. "Good night…Kaze." She returned and disappeared into her room.

Kaze made his way back to the living room and the couch. Sitting down, he pushed all thoughts of Lisa out of his mind; her scent, her voice, the feel of her body next to his…no, this was getting him nowhere. He forcefully steered his mind to the problem of Oscha. Where could he be hiding and what the heck were they going to do when they found him? Without the magun…

* * *

He wasn't quite sure when meditation became sleep, but in the end it didn't matter. Lisa was gone…without a trace.


End file.
